Squid's osushi, protecting children in Japan!

The 18th of every month is crime prevention day. For the day that's in it, I thought I would share one of Japan’s most widely taught child‑safety mnemonics. In English, it translates into "Squid's oshushi" - "ika-no-o-su-shi", but what it stands for is much more important; "Don’t go, don’t get in, shout, run, and tell.”

The phrase is taught to young children, most often in elementary school, to help them remember what to do if they encounter a suspicious person and / or feel unsafe. Each syllable stands for an action, which together form the simple rhythmic phrase, "ika-no-o-sushi", that even small children can recall under stress.

The mnemonic breaks into six steps:

• IKA = Ikanai: いか（行か）ない — Don’t go. Children should not go anywhere with someone they don’t know, even if the person seems friendly.
• NO = Noranai: の（乗）らない — Don’t get in. Never get into a stranger’s car or follow them into a secluded place.
• O = ookikoe wo dasu: お（大声を出す）— Shout loudly. If danger feels close, shout for help. Japanese schools often teach “助けて！” or “やめて！” as clear emergency calls.
• SU = sugu nigeru: す（すぐ逃げる）— Run away. immediately. Move quickly toward a safe, populated place such as a shop, school, or home.
• SHI = shiraseru: し（知らせる）— Tell someone. Report what happened to a trusted adult—parents, teachers, or police.

Had you heard this mnemonic before? Is there something similar in your home country?